DAVID WISE in Sochi took home gold in the inaugural mens Olympic half-pipe. I've been an avid skier all my life. I can ski bumps and take on the trees. This year's east coast snowfall has been epic. And this skier was recently able to take on a new challenge - the halfpipe at Mt. Snow
David Wise Wins Gold
I'm certainly no Olympic athlete. However, as a member of UncommonFit as well as an avid athlete - I love to take on a challenge. When I arrived atop the half-pipe I glanced down the edge and noticed two things; 1) the top was hard ice, and 2) the drop in was steeper than I thought. Watching the Olympic athletes perform aerobatics seemed daunting, but at the very least I assumed I could smoothly transition form side to side. I WAS WRONG.
Dropping in was not so bad but after that first turn I picked up speed. Immediately I was gaining more speed towards the other side of the pipe, but I decided to use the velocity to get higher on the wall - BAD IDEA. I made my second turn and felt the momentum push me faster - I was going to launch off this pipe if I didn't slow down. Before I knew it I was facing my third turn and mustured the courage to make another turn, but again the momentum sent me towards the other wall even faster. At this point I decided I was going to angle my speed straight down the pipe and come to a stop.
That didn't happen. The angle and speed were too great, and I carved into the other side too hard. I launched out of both my skiis and ended up a complete yard sale. I was laughing and felt great as I heard others let out a gasp. I wasn't defeated, in fact it was the highlight of my winter, and I plan to try again next weekend!
I've gained a greater appreciation for just how talented the Olympic athletes are. Especially at the half-pipe! I've played Pro Lacrosse, D1 Lacrosse, Semi Pro basketball, and Rugby on three continents - so this athlete's hat's off to the Olympians in SOCHI.
Thanks for reading and we hope this little discount helps you cheer for team USA!
Best Regards,
Chris
